case study英文模板例3
Topic: How do you think ICT / Information System infrastructure and IT strategy at Cisco is supporting the business? (1451words)
A) A short summary of Nolan's (1973) stages of growth model
Nolan describes a learning curve in the development of data processing in 1974 Harvard Business Review. Nolan believes that organizations need to understand the growth characteristics associated with each stage of development. Understanding this curve is conducive to help organizations effective implementation of information technology. The first version consisted the stages of initiation, Contagion, Control, Integration. It eventually expanded to six stages in 1979, which include "Data administration" and "Maturity".
Nolan's main content of the stage model:
Stage I, Initiation
The organisation introduces computer system to increase its competitiveness. Data processing costs are lack of control, the establishment of information systems often do not pay attention to economic efficiency in this stage.
Stage II, Contagion
Information technology applications began to spread in the organisation. The organisation managers began to pay attention to the economic benefits of information systems investment, but the real control does not exist.
Stage III, Control
The management information system became a formal department to control its internal activities and launched a project management plan and a system development methodology. The current application began to formal, and lay the foundation for the future development of information systems.
Stage IV, Integration
Organizations began to use databases and telematics technologies to consolidate existing information systems. Which is the stage that previous systems are integrated with the newer systems.
Stage V, Data administration
The organization begins to examine and evaluate the various costs and benefits of information system construction, and analyzes and resolves issues of balance and coordination in all areas of information systems investment.
Stage VI, Maturity
At this stage, the information system can meet the needs of enterprises at all levels. the enterprise will integrate the management process together with the internal and external resources, thus enhancing the competitiveness and development potential of the enterprise.
B) Apply Nolan's Stage of Growth Model (1973) in Cisco case
In this essay, I will discuss the Cisco case by using Nolan model stage by stage and show how Cisco was following the Nolan model during the system develop process. Moreover, discuss about the problem when Cisco tried to process to the next stage. For the Cisco case, I will focus on the first version of Nolan's Stage of Growth Model (1973) as the essay question require, which is only consider four stages, "Initiation'', "Contagion'', "Control'' and "Integration" stages. Moreover, the fifth stage will be discussed which because it may appropriate in the Cisco case, which is "Data administration'' stage. I will not discuss about the sixth stage. In my view, Cisco had not process to the sixth stage form the case study(2004).
Cisco is one of the example can be explain by Nolan's Stages of Growth Model. Nolan's (1973) stages of growth model framework is appropriate in the Cisco development process because they are similar which Cisco development process is also following the stage that mention in Nolan's model. The model summarises the experiences and law of development of management information systems. It is generally assumed that the phases in the model are not jumpable, because the organization needs some experience before preparing for the next phase of work. The development process in Cisco is almost same as the Nolan's model. its basic i